Re: discussion on the Hallstatt Period

Author: * Fedelm Cruithni - 18 Posts on this thread out of 2,039 Posts sitewide.
Date: Mar 4, 2008 - 11:10

The confusion in dating may be with the transitional period from the Late Hallstatt to the Early La Tene periods, which varies from one region to the next. The transition was more a cultural process than a chronological distinction, which is confusing if you're not familiar with the settlement or chronology of a particular place, or that this may differ from one place to the next. What can happen is that the dates quoted in articles may be referring to a particular place, but this may not be made clear by the author.

For instance, Scotland's iron age is dated to approximately 700 BC to 500 AD, with some overlap, during which time the Hallstatt and La Tene peoples introduced the Iron Age and distinctly different artefacts (such as Hallstatt wagons and La Tene chariots and coins).

And in Ireland, the Iron Age begins around the end of the so-called bronze age "Dowris" phase. Though iron swords and other Hallstatt type weapons found in Ireland date to around 500 BC, the transition to the use of iron is fuzzy.

The emergence of a distinct Celtic culture is also assigned different dates, the preferred one being approximately 800 BC. The Hallstatt period can be dated to approximately 800-500 BC and La Tene to 480-15 BC, again allowing for overlap and possibly earlier or later dates, depending on the region.

Some of the problems which arise when studying the Celts include differences in the Continental and Insular patterns of settlement, a lack of written records, incomplete archaeological data. For instance, the dates we have could change with new finds, and only safely for the region in which they are found.

Great idea for a discussion, Rubydragon. Thanks for getting my Celtic synapses firing again. *S*

Online sources:

Transition From The Late Hallstatt To The Early La Tene Period

Iron Age Scotland - the Hallstatt, La Tene and Belgae Peoples

The Celtic influence on Irish culture:
http://www.helium.com/tm/579894/continental-europe-begins-around

Books and journals:

Cunliffe, Barry. Iron Age communities in Britain: an account of England, Scotland and Wales from the seventh century BC until the Roman conquest. London: Routledge (2005).

A New History of Ireland: Prehistoric and Early Ireland Vol. I. ed. by Daibhi O Croinin. ISBN13: 978-0-19-821737-4. USA: Oxford University Press (2005)

Gwilt, A. & Haselgrove, C. Reconstructing Iron Age societies: new approaches to the British Iron Age. Oxford: Oxbow Books (1997).

Haselgrove, C., Armit, A., Champion, T., Creighton, J., Gwilt, A., Hill, J.D., Hunter, F. & Woodward, A. (eds), "Understanding the British Iron Age: An Agenda for Action." Salisbury: Iron Age Research Seminar and Prehistoric Society (2001).

Hodson, F.R. "Cultural groupings within the British pre-Roman Iron Age." Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 30, 99-110 (1964).